On Tap in the Capital, Sept. 24

JOINT DISCUSSION PLANNED ON SEXUAL OFFENDERS: With the state under scrutiny for failing to stop sexual offenders from committing repeated attacks, two Senate committees will hold a joint meeting to discuss the issue. The Judiciary and Children, Families and Elder Affairs committees will hear presentations about sexual offenders and the civil commitment of sexually violent predators. The Sun Sentinel of South Florida ran a series of stories last month that highlighted questions about the state's handling of sex offenders. Also, the state has faced high-profile incidents such as the murder this summer in Jacksonville of 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle, who was allegedly abducted by a sex offender. (8:30 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

CHARTER SCHOOLS BILL DISCUSSED: The House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee will discuss implementation of HB 7009, a wide-ranging bill that passed during the 2013 session and includes significant changes for charter schools. (9 a.m., 306 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

HOSPITAL FUNDING, IBUDGETS UPDATED: The House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee will receive information about two major hospital-industry funding issues, which are known as “diagnosis related groups” and the Low Income Pool. Also, it will receive information about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities’ use of a system called “iBudgets.” (9 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE PANEL ALSO WILL DISCUSS SEXUAL OFFENDERS: The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee will discuss potential reforms to the state’s Sexually Violent Predator Program. (Noon, 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

DRUG DATABASE DISCUSSED IN HOUSE, SENATE: With the state facing questions about the release of names and prescription-drug histories of more than 3,000 people, House and Senate panels will discuss the state's prescription-drug database. The House Health Quality Subcommittee and the Senate Health Policy Committee will meet separately to receive presentations from Rebecca Poston, who oversees the drug-database program at the Florida Department of Health. The Senate committee’s focus is expected to be a demonstration and discussion of data security in the database program. The database is designed to help prevent "doctor shopping" by prescription-drug abusers who seek to amass large supplies of drugs. But the program has come under scrutiny after records of about 3,300 people were released to defense attorneys in a Daytona Beach-area drug-fraud case. Few of those people were actually involved in the drug case. (House Health Quality Subcommittee, 1 p.m., 306 House Office Building. Senate Health Policy Committee, 2 p.m., 412 Knott Building.)

CITIZENS TRIES TO DISCARD POLICIES: The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee will hear presentations about efforts by the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to shift policies into the private insurance market. Among the speakers is expected to be Citizens President and CEO Barry Gilway. (1:30 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

CHILD WELFARE ISSUES UNDER MICROSCOPE: After a series of highly publicized deaths of children, the House Healthy Families Subcommittee will receive presentations about child-welfare issues. The subcommittee is expected to hear from the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Florida Coalition for Children and Circuit Judge Larry Schack, who handles issues such as juvenile-dependency cases in St. Lucie County. (3:30 p.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

CABINET MEETS: Gov. Rick Scott and Cabinet members will take up a variety of issues, including a land swap involving Florida State University and bond-issue proposals for turnpike and seaport projects. (9 a.m., Cabinet meeting room, the Capitol.)

REPORT RELEASED ON DRUGS IN DEATHS: Attorney General Pam Bondi and Mark Zadra, assistant commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, will hold a news conference to release statistics from the 2012 Medical Examiners Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons Report. (1 p.m., Cabinet meeting room, the Capitol.)

INGOGLIA COLLECTS CAMPAIGN CASH: A fund-raising event is expected to be held for Spring Hill Republican Blaise Ingoglia, who is seeking to replace the term-limited Rep. Rob Schenk next year in House District 35. (5 p.m., The Governors Club, 202 South Adams St., Tallahassee.)

CORTES RAISES MONEY AT CLYDE'S: A fund-raising reception is expected to be held for Seminole County Republican Bob Cortes, who is trying to unseat Rep. Karen Castor Dentel, D-Maitland, in House District 30. (5:30 p.m., Clyde's & Costello's, 210 South Adams St., Tallahassee.)

CRIMINAL JUSTICE FORUM AT FSU: Changes made in Georgia’s criminal-justice and juvenile-justice systems will be the focus of a forum hosted by Florida State University’s Project on Accountable Justice, the St. Petersburg College Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions and The James Madison Institute. (6 p.m., Florida State University College of Law, Room 101, 425 West Jefferson St., Tallahassee.)

Last modified: September 24, 2013
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